Battery drain from ECU circuit

[Minkey]

Hi all,

First post so go easy on me?! 

Had a couple of winters which have killed a battery and put it down to freezing temps whilst it's parked up for six months.
2001 M900 Dark Fuel injection

Got the meters out this spring cos I was fed up buying batteries and found a drain on the same circuit as the ECU (Pulled fuses until the drain stopped)
We're only talking a few milliamps but over six months that has to be the main cause of dead battery.

Anything common before I start going through every circuit?

MODS:
Heated grips (I know 'big girls blouse' but they were on it when I bought it, honest)
They are on a different fuse and switched via a relay. No drain from there that I can find.

Sat Nav cradle direct of the battery with it's own in-line fuse. Again no drain there

Side stand switch has been pegged closed so I can leave it running on the stand.

Other than that, bog standard.

Any help will be gratefully received by me... (but my local battery supplier won't thank you!)

[suzyj]

The drain is the ecu.

There's nothing you can do about it. If you're leaving your bike parked for more than a month or so disconnect the battery or pull the main fuse.

[Ddan]

Or keep it on a battery tender

[J5]

you cant expect to leave a bike for 6 months and it be ok

many bikes over many years dont like leaving for long periods

a battery tender is the best thing you can buy

keep the battery topped up and when you want to use it again it goes straight away

have had a few ducatis and batteries that are not 100% charged have always had issue starting

[Minkey]

So basically shite electrics...
Never had any such voltage leaks on my hondas over years.
Batteries lasted ages. Even on my race bikes that had no charging circuits!

Oh what a hobby it is owning a Ducati!

[suzyj]

Well there's ya problem.

Ya shouldaboughtahonda.

[Howie]

Was your Honda fuel injected?  Was it equipped  with an immobilizer?  Your new Honda would, and would have a similar drain.  As the battery drains it's freezing point raises.  A discharged battery will freeze.  Even with no drain a battery not in service will discharge and batteries sulphate while discharged, lowering their capacity and life.

[Ddan]

Well there's ya problem.

Ya shouldaboughtahonda.

I got 7 years out of the original battery in my 2000 M900Sie

[Minkey]

An old carned XL250 used a couple of times a year
Road carbed NC30 used whenever the sun came out but parked all winter
A carbed race NC30 parked for a few months at a time
Fuel injected race CBR600 with no altenator

Batteries lasted ages on all four left in the same garage in the same winters...

Oh well... Guess I'll fit a mains switch to get round the Italian shortcuts

[Ddan]

Oh well... Guess I'll fit a mains switch to get round the Italian shortcuts

That's probably way easier than hooking up a tender 

[J5]

An old carned XL250 used a couple of times a year
Road carbed NC30 used whenever the sun came out but parked all winter
A carbed race NC30 parked for a few months at a time
Fuel injected race CBR600 with no altenator

Batteries lasted ages on all four left in the same garage in the same winters...

Oh well... Guess I'll fit a mains switch to get round the Italian shortcuts

all of those bikes dont require the CCA that the twin does


as i said before from experience unless the battery is at 100% you will likely have issues starting

go the battery tender , you will be guarenteed starting and aside from that bike charging systems dont like actually charging
batteries rather just keeping the battery topped up